This invention relates generally to aircraft interiors, and in particular to aircraft seating.
Jumpseats are commonly provided in commercial aircraft to provide seating for flight attendants during takeoff, landing, in turbulence, and other times when the safety of the flight attendants requires them to be seated. In order to maximize the seat space available for passengers, it is desirable to have flight attendant seats that are compact and do not impinge on passenger space. Consequently, flight attendant jumpseats are commonly attached to the fore and aft bulkheads, which separate the lavatories from the front aisle, rear aisle, galley, etc. As commercial aircraft increase in size, the space available at the fore and aft bulkheads necessary to accommodate jumpseats for a full complement of flight attendants is inadequate. Design constraints for commercial aircraft require maximum room for passenger seating. Consequently, it is desirable to minimize the space dedicated to flight attendant jumpseats.
Additionally, current flight attendant jumpseats must be manually stowed by the flight attendant. This manual stowing of the jumpseat is time-consuming and detracts from the tasks the flight attendants are required to perform. Moreover, if the flight attendant fails to stow the seat, or stows the seat incorrectly, there is potential for the seat to obstruct aisle ways, which could prevent occupant egress in an emergency evacuation or cause injury to passengers walking past the seat.